Growth Hormone Deficiency

[honeybunny]

ds1 is waiting to go into hospital to undergo testing for the above. He basically hasnt grown for the past 15months, height-wise.
If the diagnosis is confirmed, has anyone got any positive experiences to share about it.

[Enid]

Was sorry and concerned to hear about this honeybunny

bump for you

x E

[honeybunny]

I know its uncommon (only 4000 cases in the whole of the USA last yr) but anything, anyone??????

Thanks Enid, and fab tip re E-cloths. I'm having a love affair with mine!! Have a grt hol.

[Enid]

I am taking mine to France

hope someone has some good advice for you. I know that tamum is a geneticist and always has fantastic advice but she is on holiday at the minute and not back until next week. x

[noddyholder]

how old is he?

[honeybunny]

He's 4yr 9mo

[Enid]

had coffee with a friend this afternoon (she is also a health visitor - the 2 are not always mutually exclusive ) and mentioned it to her, she said if it was GHD then they have fantastic results with the hormone and there are no side-effects.

Fingers crossed its not that and that he is just wee but if it is, it doesn't sound too horrid x E

[fqueenzebra]

how small is he, honeybunny?
There is a boy slightly older (4y+11m, but I think he was born 2 months premature) in DS1's class who is, I suppose, about 92 cm tall.

[fairi]

I have no experience with this condition, but do know for sure that essential fats (omega 3, 6 and 9) are an essential part of what the body needs to produce hormones (and many other things). Flax oil (omega 3)- cold pressed and extra virgin olive oil (omega 6 - and 9 I think) are about the easiest ways to ensure you have this oil.
Other things you could include are supplements of: zinc, B3, B6, B9 (folic acid), vitamin C and give him as much fresh fruit and veg as you can.

[happymerryberries]

GH is now made synthetically so the worries about things like BSE are a thing of the past. Treatment can be very sucessful.

[honeybunny]

ds1 is 101cm, not below the scale for his height but its the fact that he hasnt grown for 15months that has triggered alarm bells with the medical staff. As the paeds dr said, its as if someone just switched off his growth hormone 15months ago. ie on his chart in that infamous little red book the line has been horizontal for 15mo and therefore has dropped several centiles.

I've been giving him a multivit/min supp daily plus a smartfish supp (the omegas) for the past year or more. His diet (altho'appetite is small) is varied and good, plenty of fruit and veg, plenty protein, plenty oily fish, the only thing he's less keen on is mega amounts of carbs. Just like me in fact.

I'm quite postive about the fact that if the diagnosis is confirmed, ie low or absent GH, that the treatment is excellent, just a daily injection with a kind of epipen type thing, and he should reach his original potential height. Its just the why part I have problems with. I've read that its most commonly due to no good reason at all, it just happens, but a tiny percentage have tumours- pituitary, thyroid, hypothalamous possibly. My brain and endocrinology knowledge is pretty scanty, as a physio who left work behind some 5yrs ago now, but of course I cant stop part of my own jumping to that kind of conclusion.

But I have to stop myself and say...... hang on a minute, he hasnt even had the tests yet. He may just be smaller and slower to grow.

[honeybunny]

bump

[honeybunny]

Have our date for the tests, 11/8. Fingers crossed.

Anyone with any experience of this, comments gratefully received.